Pathology and molecular characterization of feline parvovirus isolated from small Indian civets (Viverricula indica) in Thailand

Abstract

Feline panleukopenia virus (FPLV) infection has been reported frequently in both domestic and wild Felidae more than half of century. Other wild carnivores such as Viveridae have reported rarely with FPLV infection. In September 2013, fifty-five small Indian civets (Viverricula indica) were raised in an opened system farm in Trat province, Eastern Thailand. Initially, two of them died with bloody diarrhea, vomiting, associated dehydration and seizure. Consequently, the mortality rate of this outbreak was increase up to 67% within a month after the onset of disease. Twenty-five civets were obtained in this study. Seven died civets were submitted for pathological examination at Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University. Histopathology in all necropsied civets manifested of parvoviral enteritis throughout the intestine including villous atrophy, fusion and desquamation of villous epithelium, cryptal necrosis and dilation. Viral amphophilic intranuclearinclusion bodies were observed in cryptal epithelial cells and enterocytes. Lymphoid depletion in Peyer’s patches and mesenteric lymph nodes were observed.The brown positive stain presented in cytoplasm and nucleus of cryptal epithelial cells, enterocytes, macropahages in lymphoid tissues as well as in neuronal cells in the brain and nerve plexuses in the intestine by immunohistochemistry. Fecal swabs of thirteen lived civets showed specific fragments of capsid gene of parvovirusby PCR (72.2%). In combination with RFLP technique, civet-derived isolates were similar to feline panleukopenia virus and could be differentiated from commercial FPLV-vaccine strains. Most full lengths of capsid gene were compared with reference FPLV strains with high similarity (99% identity). In conclusion, this is the first report of small Indian civet infection with feline parvovirus in Thailand. Epidemiology, disease transmission and host susceptibility between domestic and wild carnivores will be emphasized in the further research.